Ian and I decided something about ourselves this week. My mom was in town, and we were desperately trying to think of dinner places to take her. We racked our brains, and came up with a few places However, we could name 5-10 breakfast places right off the bat. That’s when it hit us. We are breakfast folks through and through. We like going out to dinner. We blog about it, etc. BUT where we really shine is breakfast. So what did I want on my birthday? BREAKFAST! Not just any breakfast, but my favorite breakfast I have ever eaten. The Fried Goat Cheese Squash Blossom Popover from Great Maple in Hillcrest.

Great Maple takes American classics and raises them to the next level. They have your favorite comfort foods, but with an upscale, elegant twist. Even the decor is vaguely reminiscent of your grandparents’ house- if they were cool and hip. We have only been for breakfast, but they are known for their dinners and pies as well. They have received many well deserved accolades and awards. They have our seal of approval too! (Which means a lot, we know).

So let’s roll right into my favorite dish. My favorite dish is similar to an elevated Eggs Benedict. It’s a housemade popover topped with poached eggs, tarragon hollandaise, roasted tomatoes, fresh mushrooms, sauteed spinach, and a strawberry balsamic drizzle. Oh yeah, and a FRIED SQUASH BLOSSOM STUFFED WITH GOAT CHEESE. I don’t know where to start y’all. It is hands down the best breakfast I have ever had. The tanginess of the goat cheese with the creaminess of the hollandaise and egg yolks. The light, airiness of the popover. It’s a symphony in your mouth. Interestingly, one of the best parts is the roasted tomato. I’m not sure exactly what they do to it, but it is sweet and roasty and vaguely evocative of pizza. I could go on and on, but I will stop myself.

Other great dishes there include the maple bacon glazed donuts. They are dense, sweet, and salty. The order is huge — you need at least least five people to make a dent in it. The French Toast is also phenomenal. Perfectly textured on the outside with a smooth, almost custard-like center. The kicker is that they use Brioche bread. I swear it’s like half a loaf per order! This is also a place that Ian can order healthy and not mess up his usual diet (spoiler: he doesn’t always eat as bad as I do). Often he will get the chicken breast and egg whites dish. It has grilled chicken breast, egg whites, avocado, tomatillo salsa, and tomatoes. Per Ian, it is very flavorful and rewarding. The scramblers are great. Good portion size, great flavor combinations, and very filling.  Let’s not forget drinks. The coffee is great. It is bold, smooth, and rich. The bloody’s are kick-butt (try the pickle one). There is a whole host of cocktails. Someday I will try them all.

Listen, I know I rave about food and restaurants a lot. I know you may roll your eyes and think: Man, they just really like everything they eat. It can’t be that good. Well, you’d be wrong if you thought that about Great Maple (and honestly all the places we talk about– we have good taste. Sorry we aren’t sorry!). From the first bite I put in my mouth, I instantly knew this was THE breakfast to end all breakfasts. Don’t believe me? Go try it yourself!